October 2009 Archive for Your Favorite Tractor

This tractor was featured for the month of March in the 2009 Classic Farm Tractor Calendar.

This is the orchard version of the famous John Deere Model A., built from 1934 until 1952, when it was superceded by the Model 60. This rare unstyled AO, only 248 were built, was powered by the famous 2-cylinder engine that gave Deeres the nickname, “Johnny Poppers.” The engine had bore/stroke of 5.5 x 6” for 309 cu. in. in two cylinders. At 935 rpm, the rugged motor produced a max of about 30 hp. Orchard versions had a downward exhaust, with shrouding over the air cleaner called “mushrooms,” and over the fuel caps called, “frogs.” This tractor was photographed at the historic SahuaroRanchPark, Glendale, Arizona.

Owner: Clarence E. (Hermy) Hermonson

Fountain Hills, Arizona

He found it on a neighboring farm in Michigan buried in mud up to its round spokes. “Luckily the tires had gone flat and wrapped themselves around the rims and spokes,” Hermy says.

The world-famous Classic Farm Tractor Calendar from Classic Tractor Fever is in its 21st year of publication with the 2010 calendar available now. They have calendars, videos, books, and much, much, more. Click here to visit their online shop.

This week on Tractor Tales, we showcase a collector from Indiana who hauled his International 330 across country to Canton, Texas. He and his brother meet up there every year to show off their collection.

This tractor was featured for the month of February in the 2009 Classic Farm Tractor Calendar.

It was brought in Ohio by her father, Oral Butzer (deceased). Now, being beautifully restored, Jackie Rome proudly drives it in parades. Jackie’s husband, Hadley, did the restoration, and keeps the engine fine-tuned. It has a 4-cylinder, 162 cu. in. Continental engine paired with a 4-speed transmission, built for Brockway by New Process Gear. It has a Brockway chain-driven rear end. This one’s gas; the Brockway 49 D had a Continental GD 157 diesel engine. In 1959, Brockway ceased production, but there’s a Leader Tractor Club that attracts Leader and Brockway buffs.

Owners:

Jackie and Hadley Rome

Trenton, Florida

Truly a family tractor, Jackie’s father had used it for just about everything on his small farm in Ohio, and it was used for bush hogging after it arrived in Florida. But now it’s living a life of luxury–parades, shows and ride around town–with plenty of TLC.

The world-famous Classic Farm Tractor Calendar from Classic Tractor Fever is in its 21st year of publication with the 2010 calendar available now. They have calendars, videos, books, and much, much, more. Click here to visit their online shop.

This tractor was featured for the month of January in the 2009 Classic Farm Tractor Calendar.

In the showroom, it was priced at $3,400; a deluxe seat cost you an additional $27. Earlier models mounted headlights on each side of the radiator. The Series III mounted them on the fenders. This Allis model was as handsome in the white of winter as it was in the green of summer. Nebraska test No. 813 indicated 33.3 hp on the PTO from its 4-cylinder 149 cu. in. Allis-Chalmers gas engine.

Owners:

William “Bill” and Nancy Tucker

Colo, Iowa

Their D-12 was sold new in North Carolina, where Dr. Tucker was a cardiac surgeon. Later it was purchased in Ohio and was completely restored for Nancy. She drives it on tractor rides sponsored by WHO Radio, Des Moines. The doctor-turned-Iowa-farmer and his wife hope to have a complete Allis-Chalmers D Series lineup some day.

The world-famous Classic Farm Tractor Calendar from Classic Tractor Fever is in its 21st year of publication with the 2010 calendar available now. They have calendars, videos, books, and much, much, more. Click here to visit their online shop.

Featured as the Cover of the 20th anniversary edition, the 2009 Classic Farm Tractors Calendar showcased Jon Kinzenbaw with some notable items from his collection.

In the 1970s, farm prices were booming, coupled with the trend to fewer farmers with larger acreages, the stage was set for bigger tractors with increased horsepower. Jon Kinzenbaw, an Iowa farm boy and mechanical genius, had established Kinze Manufacturing Company, repowering John Deere tractors with Detroit Diesel engines, such as the John Deere 4520 shown. Depending on inject used, it could be boosted to between 250 to 300 hp.

This tractor, equipped with a Detroit Diesel 8/V-71 engine, was repowered for Deere and underwent trials at its test farm near Coal Valley, Illinois—the kind of experimentation that led to today’s high-horsepower tractors.

The blue 30’ folding disk was hand-built by Kinzenbaw in 1970. The 4520 pulled it easily at 7 mph.

Note the original (18,000 miles) 1970 Chevrolet pickup with Craftsman toolbox. The white corn crib in the background is an original building on his farm. (scroll down for photo)

The world-famous Classic Farm Tractor Calendar from Classic Tractor Fever is in its 21st year of publication with the 2010 calendar available now. They have calendars, videos, books, and much, much, more. Click here to visit their online shop.

In this episode of U.S. Farm Report's Tractor Tales, you'll travel to Canton, Texas. There you'll meet a gentleman proud to show off his 1953 Farmall Super-H. International Harvester produced the Super-H for only two years.